Hame and trace connector.



No. 632,55I. Patented Sept. 5, |899. H. DODSON.

HAME AND TRACE. CONNECTOR.

(Applicatipn med Dec. 14, 189s.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE. y'

nov DoDso1v,oE DALLAS, TEXAS.

HAME AND TRACE CONNECTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming par@ df Letters Patent No. 632,551, dated'. september- 5, 1899.

Application filed December 14,19s. seria No. 699,195. (No man.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ROY DODSON, a citizen of the United Statesresiding at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ilames, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to a hame provided with a trace hook or loop so connected that they may be readily detached from the carrying-staple or shifted on the staple vertically to vary the draft purchase, as occasion may demand.

My invention consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claim.

Figure I is a side perspective of a haine equipped with myimprovement. Fig. II is a front elevation of my improvement. Fig. III is a top view of the improvement with the hame shown in cross-section. Fig. IV is a side view showing aloop in place of the hook shown in Fig. I.

l designates the haine proper, of common form.

2 designates a staple composed of upper and lower legs 3, that are suitably secured in the hame, and a rounded body portion 4. Intermediate of the legs 3 is a partition-leg 5. 6 is a supplemental division-leg located between the lower leg 3 and the partition-leg 5.

7 designates a hook, and 8 a loop, of atrace connection for application to the staple 2. These parts are substantially alike, except for their trace-receiving portions. The hooks and loops are each provided with curved tongues, (designated, respectively, by 7n and 8%) the tongues being separated to leave a space between them and being channeled to fit the rounded portion 4 of the staple 2 for attachment thereto and to turn thereon when placed in position. In attaching the hook or loop to the staple the part is turned, with its trace-receiving portion projected .forwardly and with the curved tongues directly over the upper end of the rounded portion of the staple, so that the channels within the tongues will receive said rounded portion of the staple. The hook or loop, as the case may be, is then slipped onto the staple into the positioniseen in Fig. III 'and turned to bring the trace-receiving portion to the rear into the position seen in, Figs. I and IV, and` the device is ready for use. provides means for a high or low adjustment of the hook or loop. desired, the loop or hook is turned into the using position, with both the tongues located above the partition-leg 5 and the lowertougue resting upon the partition-leg 5, which prevents the loop or hook from dropping farther down. If a low adjustment be desired, the hook or loop is slipped farther down on the rounded portion of the staple when turned forwardly in the position shown in Fig. III, and then when the loop or hook is turned rearwardly the tongues assume a position above and below or straddling the partitionleg 5.

9 designates a stud projecting from one side of the staple-body 4. This stud is located opposite the division-leg 6 to serve as astop for the hook or loop when dropped to their lower adjustment. In the absence of such stopstud the lowermost tongue '7a or 8a of the hook or loop would be liable to descend into line with the division-leg 6 when the hook or loop is in forward position, and when draft is ap'- plied the strain would result in the breakage of said leg.

l0 designates a spring having one end mounted on the shank of the upper leg 3 of the staple 2 and held to the face of the hamebody by said leg.

into proximity to the partition-leg 5. The object of this spring is to prevent the accidental turning of the hook or loop by its free end bearing against the rear of the hookA or loop. In the absence of such spring the hook or loop would be free to swing on thepbody 4 of the staple. In such case the hook or loop is very liable to become thrown forwardly by the trace when the draft is relieved, as in traveling down a grade or in stopping suddenly. thus permitted to become accidentally displaced from an upper adjustment in such forward throw of the hook or loop and, falling, descends to the lower adjustment or drops far enough to bring the lower tongues 7 or '8a into line with the partition-leg 5, so that This spring has a free endV l()a extending down beneath the upper leg 2 The result is that the hook or loop is4 l The partition-leg 5 If' a high adjustment be 'IOO when the draft strain begins again the lower tongue would catch against the partition-leg to result in the breakage of the said tongue or leg'. The spring prevents the accidental forward throw of the hook or loop by the trace.r It also prevents the parts from becoming accidentally disengaged from the staple in handling the hame when not in use, either when attached to harness or in shipping or handling in stores. The division-leg 6, located near the lower end of the staple, provides, in connection with the lower leg, staple-body, and haine-body, a'pocket for the reception of the neck -yoke-'strap-receiving ring 1l.

By the employment of my improvement the trace-receiving attachments of hames are ren dered adjustable vertically to suit the neck of the horse to which the hames are applied. It is also rendered possible to employ either .a trace loop or hook attachment to the haines interchangeably, or when either a loop or a hook becomes unfit for use through wear it nection having curved tongues fitting the y rounded body, and adapted to rest upon or embrace the partition-leg in its upper or lower adjusted position respectively, and'thespring Y. 35u. j

having one end mounted on the shank of the upper leg, adapted to be held to the face of the hame-body by the upper leg, and extending down beneath the upper leg into closey Y proximity to the partition-leg, so as to adapt 'Y f it to bear against the back of a curved tonguel in either they upper or lower position of they trace connection; substantially as described.

- ROY DODSON.- In presence of- J. W. DUDLEY, W. L. PIPKIN. 

